A Night at Field of Light plus some walking and a helicopter - Uluru, finally

[bPeteb]

I've finally been to Uluru. It's taken a while, but over a long weekend we had dinner looking down over Field of Light, walked through Kata Tjuta, watched the sun set and rise over Uluru, flew above it in a helicopter and segwayed around it. Worth every very expensive dollar!

 

[bPeteb]

Jetstar fly direct from Brisbane three days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday making a long weekend an easy option. Feb would be hot from a work perspective it worked. Sale fares saw us paying $111 each way before adding the package to give us luggage, SCs and a $10 voucher each to spend on board.

Then we had to choose accommodation. It's all expensive. Voyages/Accor have you by the proverbials but saying that, it's in the middle of nowhere, literally. We went from looking at the Pioneer to three nights at Sails booking the Ultimate Uluru Package - $632 per night for three nights - standard room, breakfast, A Night at Field of Light (canapes, drinks (very free flowing), dinner and star talk), a 15 minute helicopter flight and dinner at Ilkari restaurant. Everyone gets free transfers and free wifi. We knew we needed a vehicle and booked a 'mystery manual' (hatch to full size 4WD) through Hertz.

We had an amazing three days.

Detail and photos next.

 

[bPeteb]

Bag drop off painless for JQ direct flight to Ayers Rock Airport (what's with that? Why not Uluru Airport?). Enough time for a quick breakfast in the J Lounge before flight was called. Wet morning in Brisbane so was very surprised to find the plane at an airbridge. As we pulled back I was surprised to see a QF A380 arriving into the international terminal.


This has been explained to me on another thread.

Up and away about 10 minutes late. Surprised to be told we had a $10 credit each to spend so had second breakfast



We've flow across Oz so many times on our way overseas. It seemed different this time knowing I was actually going to land in the middle of our vast home.



We'd luckily sat on the Uluru and Kata Tjuta side of the plane and had a great view of each as we came into land


Booking included baggage so we each packed what we'd usually carry on and checked them in. Just small backpacks for the plane. Luggage out quickly. We'd booked a 'mystery manual' with Hertz. Anything up to a full size 4WD and that's what we got.


Uluru is in sight just about all of the time, including from the road on the way to Yulara/Ayers Rock Resort

 

[Denali]

Thanks. Very interest in the field of light and what you thought, it wasnt there when we visited.

 

[bPeteb]

Recently dropped from from Le Club plat to gold. Had emailed to make sure member number was on booking and to request early check in but no recognition on check in. Partner sat in lobby and worked hoping we'd get room early but gave up and went for walk around Ayers Rock Resort. Had lunch at Kulata Academy Cafe



had a wander around the resort


and ended up at the lookout in the middle of 'circle' between everything



when the call came through the room was ready.

Given key card and a map and off we went, and went, and went. Directions were not quite right. We seemed to be miles from the main building and pool and if it had been wet (hahahaha) we would have been drenched. But, it was very quiet, and gave us easy access to where we moved the car to.

 

[Denali]

Whats with the body dragging, blood splatter carpet design?

Reminds me of the Olympic Park Novotel and their blood splatter curtains.

 

[bPeteb]

Whats with the body dragging, blood splatter carpet design?

Reminds me of the Olympic Park Novotel and their blood splatter curtains.

How funny. We loved the carpets in our room and the main building and the interior design in general. Indigenous art is a personal thing.

 

[bPeteb]

We had both wanted to see Field Of Light since it was first revealed however many years ago. It was supposed to be for a limited time but it has been extended and here we are. A Night at Field of Light, that includes transfers, sunset drinks and canapes, a 'gourmet dinner, a sky talk and walk through the field is $250pp.

It took less than 10 minutes to drive to the ridge where the very free flowing drinks were served. It was much further from the rock than we thought, and going from comments around us, others as well.





But it wasn't about the rock, it was about the lights. The sunset camel tour arrived and left.



We were escorted down to the 'dining room' further down the ridge but still elevated so that the lights were below us as we dined.

My sister visited the centre last year and did Sounds of Silence. It was cancelled the original night due to rain and was a boggy mess the next night. We were much luckier. It was mild with a nice breeze. I was initially surprised that food was a buffet but in hindsight there was not other way a group of 60 or so could be served plated up food. I thought the food was good. Bush flavours and native meats featured. The drinks continued to flow.

 

[Major]

I would have thought it would be quite hot in Feb. Did you have a problem with flies ?

 

[bPeteb]

We

I would have thought it would be quite hot in Feb. Did you have a problem with flies ?

Hi Major
We were super lucky with the weather. Week before it was mid-40s. It was 37 (I think) the day we arrived, 34/35 next day when we walked Valley Of the Wind, 36 day after and then started climbing back towards 40 after we left.
Flies. They didn't bother me that much but drove my partner crazy. Far more around Uluru than Kata Tjuta and not that many at Sails. Saying that, I managed to swallow two when we were segwaying. YUKKKKK!!! So many people walking around with 'fly screen hats'. We used them in Greenland a couple of times to keep the clouds of bugs away but I didn't even think to pack them this time.
bp

 

[bPeteb]

So to some pictures from Field of Light. It was beautiful. The free flowing booze put a slight haze over the peaceful walk through the 'field'. Stars above, lights all around. Lovely.

 

[bPeteb]

Breakfast included and it was pretty darn good. Omelette station and a huge selection of standard/Asian/European/US (doughnuts!) choices.



Picked up at the hotel for our helicopter flight. $150 each for 15 minutes if booked on your own. I was hoping for one of the Robinson 44s I'd seen at the airport when we arrived but the company used has Jet and Longer Rangers and a Squirrel. Jet Ranger it was.


When you have to take off, get air traffic control permission to head for the rock, get there, get back and land, 15 minutes gives you time to get there and turn straight back. Great views and I love a helicopter flight, but if I'd paid $300 for the two of us I would have been a bit underwhelmed.

 

[bPeteb]

We then drove out to Kata Tjuta. As I've said it was very mild for Feb. Valley of the Wind is closed when the temp gets over 36 so we were very lucky.

It's a long dry walk, close to 8km, over occasionally difficult ground, and worth every step. Not a sound apart from the wind and that beautiful sweet sound of finches. Kata Tjuta is a very special place. I got much more out of our two visits here than to Uluru.

 

[bPeteb]

and some more. Just such a beautiful place












Stopped at the sunset view point on the way back to the resort

 

[tgh]

Superb imagery, thanks heaps
I need to return….

 

[bPeteb]

There was something amiss with the housekeeping of our room. I'd hate to think it was because we were a gay couple but...

When we were at the airport to fly home we asked a couple we'd sat with at the Field of Light dinner if they'd had issues (two rooms away from ours) they said they even got turn down!.

Got back to the hotel after 4 and the room hadn't been serviced. I wanted to ask about drink vouchers (Le Club gold amenity) so I went over to reception, asked if they could check if the room would be serviced (it's $330 a night, I'm paying for it to be cleaned) and got the drink vouchers. The receptionist was surprised I hadn't been given a welcome pack but didn't offer anything other than the two drink vouchers.

Had a couple of drinks out by the pool




and when we walked back to the room close to 6 the housekeepers trolley was at the door. We went back to the pool for a while. Went into the room and bin was in middle of carpet, pool towels not replaced, bathroom had been half done. Didn't bother following up.

Sunset at Uluru was a bit of an anticlimax. I'm thinking it's a bit reliant on some cloud in the sky to pick up colour. It was a bucket list tick, but the flies, and the buzz of the two drones a couple of tourists had launched, had us leave well before it went slightly dark



Had dinner - a burger - at the Pioneer Hotel. 'Nough said...

 

[bPeteb]

Al was keen on sunrise at Uluru but after our long walk around Kata Tjuta thought the segway looked fun. I have piled nothing but derision on segways, and those riding them, whenever and wherever I've seen them around the world. We watched the amazing sunrise from near Mutitjula Waterhole then rode around Uluru on segways...

Another expensive trip - $358 for the two of us. Pick up at 5:30am, breakfast then the guided ride. It was a hoot.


Coffee, tea, appletise, cereal, muffins and croissants


Beautiful sunrise





the segways



and away we go

I am officially a segway w***er

 

[bPeteb]

We both loved it and the scenery was spectacular. They make a buzzing sound, but it went with the flies! Speed limited to 10km.



Barely another soul out on the track until we got closer to the carpark where people still persist in climbing the rock despite the local indigenous asking you not to. Bring on late October when it will finally be banned.

 

[bPeteb]

After replenishing our water supplies at the IGA in the resort complex we drove back out to Kata Tjuta to do the short Walpa Gorge walk. It's a baby compared to Valley of the Winds. It's also not affected by heat. VotW was closed due to it having gone back over 36.

One of the only places you can see wallabies at Kata Tjuta. We saw none. Speaking of wildlife we saw rabbits (hardly wildlife) and birds at Sails. Two small goannas on the road to Kata Tjuta and some finches when we did the VotW walk. Nothing else. I expected to at least see an emu or a kangaroo but nothing. Some camel dung on the path of VotW from wild camels.

Walpa Gorge

 

[bPeteb]

Again the room hadn't been made up when we got back to the hotel about 3. We went straight back out to the pool and didn't go back to room until well after 5 and still not done. I worked for Hyatt and Novotel (amongst others) many years ago and bad hotel service really gets up my craw. I filled in the 'how are we doing' card and went back to reception. I handed over the card, said not sure what's going on with housekeeping, or what's not going on, and said not to bother sending anyone to do it now. Grrr...

Dinner at Ilkari at Sails included in package. $75pp usually. Same venue as breakfast. We really liked the food. Buffet plus a number of cooked to order 'small plates'. Service was great. Wine very reasonably priced. Best of all they had a chocolate fountain!! We had a really nice evening followed by their signature coughtail sat ut in the lobby bar. If only the housekeeping and Le Club welcome hadn't let them down...